Engine starter gearing



June 29, 1948.

J. J. DIGBY ENGINE STARTER GEARING Filed NOV. 2'7, 1946 WITNESS.

Patented June 29, 1943 UNITED STATES OFFICE 2,444,:2s4 ENGINE STARTER. GEARING James J. Digby, Elmira, N. Y., assignor to Bendix Aviation Company, Elmira Heights,N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application November 27, 1946, Serial No. 712,704

, 1 The present invention gearing and more particularly to an improved form of anti-kickout type of starter drive.

It is an object of the present invention to pro- '1 Claims. (01. 744i relates to engine starter v Fig. 3 is a similarview showing the parts in the positions assumed when the engine fires. and causes the pinion to overrun the drive shaft.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, there is illustrated a vide a novel starter drive of the automatically power shaft I which is preferably the extended engaging type incorporating manually controlled armature shaft of a starting motor, a fragment means for maintaining the engagement of the of which is illustrated at 2. A screw shaft 3 is drive with the engine member. Y fixed on the power shaft I as by means of across It is another object to provide such a device pin 4 whichfis retained in position by aflanged in which the drive unit is completely self-conring 5 seated against a shoulder on the screw tained so as to require no external stop or abutshaft. p ment on the drive shaft to arrest thetravel'of the A pinion I is slidably journalled on the power drive pinion. Y v shaft for movement into and out of mesh with Itis another object to' provide such a device a gear 8 of the engine to be started, and means which is adapted to be used without alteration for actuating the pinion from the screw shaft either as an inboard or outboard type of drive. 3 is provided comprising a control nut 9 threaded It is another object to provide such a device on the screw shaft and a connection between which incorporates means for limitingthe torque the control nut and pinion comprising a yielding capacity of the drive so as to prevent overloading clutch means and an overrumiing clutch. For the transmission. t 0 this purpose, a flange member II is non-rotatably It is another object to provide such a device mounted on the control nut against a shoulder incorporating a connection which permits the I2 thereon, and the control nut is provided with drive pinion to overrun freely when the engine a counterbored extension I3 on which is slidably fires, while insuring prompt and positive reenjournalled a driving overrunning clutch member gagement of the drive if the engine should not I4, retained thereon by a split lock ring I5. A continue to be self-operative. cylindrical block I6 of elastically deformable ma- It is another object of the invention to proterial such as rubberis seated on the control nut vide such a device incorporating means for in; between the flange II and the clutch member swing a rapid and quiet disengagement of the I4, being retained under suitable initial compresdrive pinion when the oper t r eenergizes the. sion therebetween by the lock ring I5. A wear starting circuit and releases the pinion from its ring I! may be interposed between the end of engaged position. I p the rubber block I6 and the clutch member I4 It is another object to provide such a device if deemed desirable. A second lock ring I 8 is in which the pinion and the partsassociated with located on the extension I3 of the control nut it are so formed and mounted as to have extended in position to engage theclutch member I4 after bearing surfaces for maintaining proper aligna predetermined compression of the rubber block m nt of the p r n n lin t m to ov rrun It so as to limit the compression of said block the power shaft at high speeds over extended and thereby limit the torque capacity of the p ri s of im without ex essive Wear or dane friction clutch connection between said block and of seizure of the bearings. p t 40 the clutch member.

It is another object of the inventionto provide The pinion'lis provided with a cylindrical exsuch a device incorporating an elastically com--- tension or hub IQ'on which a driven overrunning pressible member forming a yielding driving conclutch member 2| is fixedly mounted in any suitnection, with means for maintaining said member, able manner. The adjacent faces of the driving under compression at all times while limiting the and driven overrunning clutch members I4, 2I maximum compression thereof. I are provided withinclined teeth 22, 23 respec- Further objects and advantages will be aptively as best shown in Fig. 3, the inclination of parent from the following description taken in the teeth being such as to facilitate overrunning connection with the accompanying drawing, in of the pinion when the engine starts. The extenwhich: I l sion I9 of the pinion I is preferably provided Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a with a bushing 24 forming a pilot bearing for preferred embodiment of the inventionshowing the interior of the extension I3 of control nut 9, the parts in normal or idle position;

whereby the control nut, clutch members and Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts in pinion are maintained in proper alignment so ascrankingposition; and 6. to prevent seizure or bindingof the parts.

resting the demeshing movement of the barrel, so as to maintain the pinion in mesh with the engine gear.

7. An engine starter drive as set forth in claim 1 in which the means for limting the meshing movement of the pinion comprises a barrel enclosing the drive having an abutment at one end adapted to engage the screw shaft and a stop for the driven clutch member at the other end, the yielding means for engaging the clutch members comprising a spring located between the driven clutch member and the stop on the barrel, said screw shaft having a flange, and a demeshing spring compressed between the abutment on the barrel and the flange on the screw shaft.

JAMES J. DIGBY. 

